The third edition of the Profiles Handbook presents information about postsecondary education in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Information about each state is organized into four main parts as follows: Part I contains a narrative description of the state-level coordinating or governing agency, institutional governing boards, master planning activities, the 1202 commission, state student assistance agencies, state board of vocational education, state-level organization for private colleges, licensure or approval agencies, committees for articulation between elementary-secondary and postsecondary education, nongovernment oganizations, and statutory advisory committees or task forces. Part II presents descriptive statistics on state population and trends, financial based, state and local governmental spending, spending on higher education, institutional revenues and expenditures, student demand and enrollment trends, and 1976-77 data on faculty characteristics, student tuition, and fees. Part III lists annual and biennial reports from state agencies, and Part IV lists in-process special reports and studies. (LBH)